FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM 5 Victims from South East Asia, especially China, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam are also sent to Western Europe, United States, Australia and the Middle East. In South Asia, the US Department of State estimates that some 1,50,000 victims are trafficked annually. Sri Lanka and India are the favoured destinations of sex tourists from other parts of the world. Bangladesh and Nepal serve as the supply zone whereas India and Pakistan serve as destination countries. Estimates of the number of Nepalese girls and young women lured or abducted to India for sexual exploitation each year ranges from 5,000 to 10,000. The total number of Nepalese working as prostitutes in India range from 40,000 to 2,00,000. More than 15,000 women and children are believed to be trafficked out of Bangladesh every year7. Over 4,000 women and children are trafficked from Bangladesh to Pakistan each year. Also, according to the Amnesty International, Afghan women have been sold into prostitution in Pakistan. Some 7,000 Nepalese women and children are trafficked for prostitution to the Asia Pacific, especially Hong Kong8. A rough estimate shows that about 2,00,000 Bangladeshi women and children have been trafficked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). India is a source, transit, and destination country, receiving women and children from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan and sending them to Europe and Middle East. Australia has been a prime source of sex tourists in Asia. The Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong are some of the primary Asian destinations for organized sex tours from Australia. Indonesia and Taiwan are secondary destinations9. To counter attack this problem, Australia has been active in review of extraterritorial legislation and public awareness campaigns aimed at travellers.10 International criminal organizations traffic hundreds of Thai women yearly to Australia11. Therefore, Australia plans to introduce tougher laws including long jail terms to curb the increased trafficking of Asian women to Australia for prostitution12. 7 Police Estimates (http//www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/980220/03/03200004.htm), 19 February, 1988. 8 Supra note 6. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 11 Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in Asia Pacific. (www.catw-ap.org) 12 Maria Moscaritolo, “Australia takes aim at Asian sex slave trade”, Reuters, 26 May, 1998.